Connector interface system facilitating communication between a media player and accessories

Abstract

A connector interface system is disclosed. The connector interface system includes an interface and a protocol in communication with which allows a media player to communicate with external devices over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a plurality of accessory lingoes. The accessory lingoes comprise a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, a RF transmitter lingo and an extended interface lingo.

1. A docking connector comprising:
 a keying arrangement, wherein one set of keys are spaced apart by one length and another set of keys are spaced apart by another length; and 
 a plurality of signal contacts, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before a power contact; wherein the plurality of contacts comprise at least one digital ground contact, a Firewire signal contact, at least one USB signal contact, at least one USB power contact, an accessory identify signal contact, at least one Firewire and charger input power signals contacts, at least one video contact, at least one accessory power contact, at least one accessory protocol contact, an accessory detect signal contact, a remote sense signal contact, at least one line signal, and at least one signal contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the docking connector. 
 
     
     
       2. A docking connector comprising:
 a keying arrangement, wherein one set of keys are separated by one length and another set of keys are separated by another length; and 
 thirty signal contacts, wherein the contacts include first break/last make contact, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before the power contacts; wherein the thirty contacts are in the following configuration: contact (1) comprises a first Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact; contact two (2) comprises a second Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, contact three (3) comprises a FireWire signal contact; contact four (4) comprises a first USB signal contact; contact five (5) comprises a second FireWire signal contact; contact six (6) comprises a second USB signal contact; contact seven (7) comprises a third FireWire signal contact; contact eight (8) comprises a USB power in contact; contact nine (9) comprises a fourth FireWire signal; contact ten (10) comprises an Accessory Identify contact; contact eleven (11) comprises a first FireWire and charger input power contact; contact twelve (12) comprises a second FireWire and charger input power contact; contact thirteen (13) comprises an Accessory Power contact; contact fourteen (14) comprises a Reserved contact; contact fifteen (15) comprises a third Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact; contact sixteen (16) comprises a fourth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact; contact seventeen (17) comprises a second Reserved contact; contact eighteen (18) comprises a receive MediaPlayer accessory protocol contact; contact nineteen (19) comprises a transmit MediaPlayer accessory protocol; contact twenty (20) comprises an Accessory Detect contact; contact twenty-one (21) comprises a luminance components of S Video contact; contact twenty-two (22) comprises a Composite Video contact; contact twenty-four (24) comprises a Remote Sense contact; contact twenty-five (25) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact; contact twenty-six (26) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact; contact twenty-seven (27) comprises s Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact; contact twenty-eight (28) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact; contact twenty-nine (29) comprises an Audio Return contact; and contact thirty (30) comprises a fifth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the docking connector. 
 
     
     
       3. A remote connector comprising:
 a body portion, the body portion including a first receptacle for a headphone and second receptacle for a remote device; and 
 nine signal contacts coupled to the first and second receptacles, wherein the nine contacts in the following configuration: contact one (1) comprises an Audio Out Left/Mono Mic In contact; contact two (2) comprises a Headphone Detect contact; contact three (3) comprises an Audio Return contact; contact four (4) comprises an Audio Out Right contact; contact five (5) comprises a Composite Video contact; contact six (6) comprises an Accessory Power contact; contact seven (7) comprises a MediaPlayer accessory protocol transmit contact; contact eight (8) comprises a MediaPlayer accessory protocol receive contact; and contact nine (9) comprises a Digital ground contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when a device is coupled to the remote connector. 
 
     
     
       4. An accessory comprising;
 a device; and 
 thirty signal contacts, wherein the contacts include first break/last make contact, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before the power contacts; wherein the thirty contacts are in the following configuration: contact one (1) comprises a first Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact; contact two (2) comprises a second Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact; contact three (3) comprises a FireWire signal contact; contact four (4) comprises a first USB signal contact; contact five (5) comprises a second FireWire signal contact; contact six (6) comprises a second USB signal contact; contact seven (7) comprises a third FireWire signal contact; contact eight (8) comprises a USB power in contact; contact nine (9) comprises a fourth FireWire signal; contact ten (10) comprises an Accessory Identify contact; contact eleven (11) comprises a first FireWire and charger input power contact; contact twelve (12) comprises a second FireWire and charger input power contact; contact thirteen (13) comprises an Accessory Power contact; contact fourteen (14) comprises a Reserved contact; contact fifteen (15) comprises a third Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact; contact sixteen (16) comprises a fourth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact; contact seventeen (17) comprises a second Reserved contact; contact eighteen (18) comprises a receive MediaPlayer accessory protocol contact; contact nineteen (19) comprises a transmit MediaPlayer accessory protocol; contact twenty (20) comprises an Accessory Detect contact; contact twenty-one (21) comprises a luminance component of S Video contact; contact twenty-two (22) comprises a chrominance component of S Video contact; contact twenty-three (23) comprises a Composite Video contact; contact twenty-four (24) comprises a Remote Sense contact; contact twenty-five (25) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact; contact twenty-six (26) comprises a Line level input to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact; contact twenty-seven (27) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the left channel contact; contact twenty-eight (28) comprises a Line level output to the MediaPlayer for the right channel contact; contact twenty-nine (29) comprises an Audio Return contact; and contact thirty (30) comprises a fifth Digital ground in MediaPlayer contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when the accessory is coupled to a media player. 
 
     
     
       5. The accessory of  claim 4  wherein the device comprises any of a car stereo, a home stereo, a remote control, a radio, a voice recorder, a docking station and a wireless device for communication to other accessories. 
     
     
       6. An accessory comprising:
 a device; 
 a keying arrangement within the accessory, wherein one set of keys are spaced apart by one length and another set of keys are spaced apart by another length; and 
 a plurality of signal contacts, wherein the ground contacts make contact with a mating connection before a power contact; wherein the plurality of contacts comprise at least one digital ground contact, a Firewire signal contact, at least one USB signal contact, at least one USB power contact, an accessory identify signal contact, at least one Firewire and charger input power signals contacts, at least one accessory power contact, at least one accessory protocol contact, an accessory detect signal contact, at least one video contact, a remote sense signal contact, at least one line signal, and at least one signal contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when the accessory is coupled to a media player. 
 
     
     
       7. The accessory of  claim 6  wherein the device comprises any of a car stereo, a home stereo, a remote control, a radio, a voice recorder, a docking station and a wireless device for communication to other accessories. 
     
     
       8. An accessory comprising:
 a device; 
 a body portion within the accessory, the body portion including a first receptacle for a headphone and second receptacle for a remote accessory; and 
 nine signal contacts within the accessory coupled to the first and second receptacles, wherein the nine contacts in the following configuration: contact one (1) comprises an Audio Out Left/Mono Mic In contact; contact two (2) comprises a Headphone Detect contact; contact three (3) comprises an Audio Return contact; contact four (4) comprises an Audio Out Right contact; contact five (5) comprises a Composite Video contact; contact six (6) comprises an Accessory Power contact; contact seven (7) comprises an MediaPlayer accessory protocol transmit contact; contact eight (8) comprises an MediaPlayer accessory protocol receive contact; and contact nine (9) comprises a Digital ground contact, wherein at least one of the contacts is active when the accessory is coupled to a media player. 
 
     
     
       9. The accessory of  claim 8  wherein the device comprises any of a car stereo, a home stereo, a remote control, a radio, a voice recorder, a docking station and a wireless device for communication to other accessories.